Top 10 Foods That Cause Headache

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The Uncomfortable sensation that rises in different parts of head, leading towards eyes and neck sometimes, is the feeling of pain named as headache. Headache is also known as Cephalalgia. Then again headaches are of basic two types which are tension headaches and migraine headaches. Tension headaches are basically caused because of stressful situation. This uncomfortable feeling in your head i.e. headache (migraine) has a lot of triggers. The triggers are not only numerous but also not very specific. An item or a situation for one person might be a trigger while for others it might not play the same role. Besides the other different situations and items that prove to be the triggers of the headache, surprisingly there are some foods that we consume in daily courses yet we are unaware that these can cause headaches!!!

Here is a list of Top 10 Foods that Cause Headache, so if you have complaints of headache then it’s high time that you check on your daily food.

10. Vegetables

Night shade vegetables that include eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, paprika and cayenne when heavily consumed cause headaches. These vegetables contain alkaloids that are toxic to those who suffer from frequent migraines and headaches. These alkaloids directly hit the brain and headaches (migraines) are neurological disorders which are triggered by the release of these alkaloids in your body. But then again all nightshades are not the triggers for all the headache sufferers.

9. Canned Soups

Canned soups consist of added preservatives that cause headaches. These lists of preservatives also include artificial sweeteners and colors. The chemical setup of the brain is disturbed due to these chemicals. These canned soups also contain a very famous preservative chemical MSG i-e monosodium glutamate. This chemical is added in almost every preserved food and seriously disturbs the chemical setup of brain.

8. Segmented Soya Products

Soya sauce and other soy products are included in our daily use and we unknowingly are consuming them. Soya sauce contains two of the most headache causing chemicals which are tyramine and MSG. Both these are the most common headache triggers. Some of the soy products such as soybean cake also causes headache because it is made by the process of hydrolysis which is actually the process of breaking down the soy protein.

7. Smoked Or Dried Fish

All smoked, pickled, fragmented or marinated meats specially smoked or dried fish causes headaches. When fish is smoked in coal its chemical structure changes. These cause byproducts production when blood starts flowing quickly which causes headaches. By change in chemical structure it is meant that smoked fish contains nitrates and nitrites which become excess when fish is smoked and these accumulated nitrates and nitrites trigger headaches.

6. Nuts

Dried fruits and nuts have a substance called sulfites. These substances are basically responsible for triggering the headaches. They cause the same effect of increasing the blood flow to the brain heavily, also all over the body, but especially towards the brain which cause the headaches.

5. Aged Cheese

All types of cheese specially aged cheese causes headaches. Cheese like cheddar, Brie, Camembert, Stilton, Emmentaler is among that cheese which should be avoided. Cheese has this chemical substance called tyramine; this substance causes headaches and is also very known substance which triggers headaches. But this doesn’t mean that people suffering from headache cannot consume cheese, cheese like cottage cheese, cream cheese, Velveeta and American are not harmful. But they should also be consumed within a specific limit. But aged cheese is off limits. Cheese that causes headaches include following:

Blue cheeses

Brie

Cheddar

English stilton

Feta

Gorgonzola

Mozzarella

Muenster

Parmesan

Swiss

4. Cold Foods

It is a well-known factor that cold foods especially ice creams cause sewer headaches. This sensation is also sometimes called “brain freeze”. It lasts for 25 to 60 seconds. These foods usually cause brain freezes in some people but also causes long lasting pain and sensation called headaches. These types of headaches are felt in the middle of the forehead but for the people who have headache (migraine) problems this painful stabbing sensation is the beginning of a severe full headache.

3. Chocolates

Chocolate is almost everybody’s favorite food item (and probably God’s greatest gift to humanity). This is consumed almost in every part of the world. Surprisingly this is the third most important food item that triggers headaches (I feel really sad while putting it on number three, but facts are facts after all). The excess consumption of chocolate is harmful for people suffering from headache problems.

2. Caffeine

Caffeine is a basically a drug which causes alertness, relaxes a person with decreasing fatigue and increase the muscle coordination. Tea and chocolate also have caffeine but a slightly lesser quantity than in coffee. The surprising element in the headaches caused by caffeine is that caffeine is also a cure for headaches. But usually the high consumption of caffeine like in coffee or chocolates or in colas causes and triggers the headaches. Headaches caused by caffeine are again of two types: Headaches that are caused by excess consumption and also rebound headaches. The heat produced by caffeine is due to increased blood flow.

1. Alcohols (Red Wine)

All types of alcohols should be avoided, especially red wine and also Champaign and vermouth. Intake of these products causes a heavy quick flow towards the brain. And the byproducts or the impurities produced by the alcohols cause headaches. All types of alcohols especially red wine is very much used in formal gatherings. These wines increase the blood flow all over the body. But when the blood flow towards the brain is increased it starts producing byproducts. These byproducts disturb the neurological order of the brain and cause a painful sensation named as headache. Alcohols also have numerous health issues that is why it gets number one spot on our list of Top 10 Foods That Cause Headaches.

One comment

You mentioned about smoked foods. I smoke my own using wood chips and either propane or lump charcoal. is it only when a meat/fish is smoked in charcoal that the structure changes? My hubby is starting to get migranes after ribs on a charcoal and wood chip grill. He was thinking it maybe from the paprika, but now I am wondering if it may actually be this.